But at a recent Dallas Mavericks game, Tony Romo gave basketball fans a taste of what might have been.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarter back was at the American Airlines Arena for fan appreciation night. But he wasn’t there to be a spectator. He was there in FULL UNIFORM to sit with the rest of the team. The Mavs, who made the move as a “thank you” to Romo, even gave him a jersey with his old Cowboys number: 9.

Steve Berezowitz, Romo’s high school basketball coach, told Bleacher Report, “He was really good [at basketball]. But I think he eventually realized he had a higher ceiling in football. At that time, we didn’t have passing leagues, and kids didn’t have personal quarterback coaches or personal trainers. He played more basketball back then, and we all assumed he’d try to do that as he moved forward.”

Tony’s moves on the court had many talking about putting him in the game.

Mav’s coach Rick Carlisle even hinted at subbing Romo in during the game. Of course Carlisle was just doing a little on-camera joking. He later spoke to ESPN, saying, “It’s just not a good idea to take a football athlete and throw him in an NBA game,” Carlisle said. “It’s a completely different kind of sport. No. 2, to sign him we would have to go through a tremendous amount of screening, physicals, all those things. It’s not in the best interest of anybody to do that.”

Mavs owner Mark Cuban released a statement about what it mean to have Romo participate in Tuesday’s action.

ICYMI: If it were up to Mark Cuban, Tony Romo not only would've been honored by the Mavericks … he'd have played. https://t.co/tj7hWgEud5